Marketing a sports centre

BananaRepublic

Some friends have opened an ice sports centre, with a small rink and off ice training for hockey and figure skating. They provide group and one on one courses, and hire out the facility too. Obviously they wish to grow the business. Do people here have good advice on marketing their centre? Obviously we are talking about a relatively select target audience.

A friend suggested they contact ice sports equipment shops, and form partnerships, whereby the shop offers discounts on courses eg buy a pair of ice skates, and get a one hour training session for two people for the price of one. This costs the shop nothing, but helps promote the product and the ice centre. Other marketing suggestions are welcome.

Obviously they already have contacts with local schools, and cub/scout groups, as well as pro and rec hockey teams.

FWIW I have no financial interest in this business, but as a client I do want it to grow and prosper for purely selfish reasons.

bengalknights

Targeted Social Media Ads might help

See if they qualify for the free credits from Facebook/Instagram, target them using the specific services they offer and see how well it goes.

tinkerella

BananaRepublic wrote: »

Some friends have opened an ice sports centre, with a small rink and off ice training for hockey and figure skating. They provide group and one on one courses, and hire out the facility too. Obviously they wish to grow the business. Do people here have good advice on marketing their centre? Obviously we are talking about a relatively select target audience.

A friend suggested they contact ice sports equipment shops, and form partnerships, whereby the shop offers discounts on courses eg buy a pair of ice skates, and get a one hour training session for two people for the price of one. This costs the shop nothing, but helps promote the product and the ice centre. Other marketing suggestions are welcome.

Obviously they already have contacts with local schools, and cub/scout groups, as well as pro and rec hockey teams.

FWIW I have no financial interest in this business, but as a client I do want it to grow and prosper for purely selfish reasons.

There are only a limited number of ice hockey & figure skating clubs, and presumably all the local ones are already using the centre. If not, why not?

Presumably you are not expecting any shop to subsidise the centre, so if the centre can afford to offer 2 for the price of one, they should slash their prices by half immediately.

Then place a large banner outside declaring this, and post similar on the usual social media sites.

If that doesn't more than double attendance especially during this holiday season, nothing will.

BananaRepublic

tinkerella wrote: »

There are only a limited number of ice hockey & figure skating clubs, and presumably all the local ones are already using the centre. If not, why not?

Presumably you are not expecting any shop to subsidise the centre, so if the centre can afford to offer 2 for the price of one, they should slash their prices by half immediately.

Then place a large banner outside declaring this, and post similar on the usual social media sites.

If that doesn't more than double attendance especially during this holiday season, nothing will.

No, the idea is that one purchase of skates comes with an offer of two lessons for two people, one each, for the price of one lesson. The idea is to attract new customers, who subsequently pay full price.

Savvy_Sue

I don't know how effective they are, but the 'advertorial' pieces in local newspapers may get the word out.

They also need to think about what kind of market they want to attract. If they wanted to do children's parties, for example, that could be worth it IF they can give an enjoyable time plus a party tea. but I'd expect it to be quite labour intensive.

cedrag

BananaRepublic wrote: »

No, the idea is that one purchase of skates comes with an offer of two lessons for two people, one each, for the price of one lesson. The idea is to attract new customers, who subsequently pay full price.

I can't see that strategy working to attact new customers, for the resaon tinkerella alludes to.

i.e. if this is a local shop, then anyone going to the expense of purchasing ice skates will probably be planning on using them at your ice rink in any event.
How many ice rinks are there in your town? Hopefully this is the only one!

If you are thinking of non-local shops, then at best the customer will only use the free offer and then go mainly to their own local ice rink. They will only travrl to your local centre if the lower price justifies the extra travel expense, or your local centre offers something else their own local centre doesn't that appeals to them.

BananaRepublic

cedrag wrote: »

I can't see that strategy working to attact new customers, for the resaon tinkerella alludes to.

i.e. if this is a local shop, then anyone going to the expense of purchasing ice skates will probably be planning on using them at your ice rink in any event.
How many ice rinks are there in your town? Hopefully this is the only one!

If you are thinking of non-local shops, then at best the customer will only use the free offer and then go mainly to their own local ice rink. They will only travrl to your local centre if the lower price justifies the extra travel expense, or your local centre offers something else their own local centre doesn't that appeals to them.

tinkerella had missed the point, promotions are often non profit or loss making. The idea is to get people to try the centre.

The point is that the centre offers facilities not available at full size rinks. The problem with ice hockey is that training sessions tend to be at 11 pm in the evening, and then you have 20-30 skaters and one coach, with many skill levels. You can go to this centre at 6 pm, for example, and have tuition in small groups or one on one.

The reason for promotions is to get people in so they can see that the product is good. Many people just turn up to ice hockey sessions. If you go to sessions at this centre, you learn/improve skills, and play better.

It’s like chocolate bars that say send in the wrapper and your money is refunded.Once people try the chocolate they discover how good it is, and buy it again.

BananaRepublic

Savvy_Sue wrote: »

I don't know how effective they are, but the 'advertorial' pieces in local newspapers may get the word out.

They also need to think about what kind of market they want to attract. If they wanted to do children's parties, for example, that could be worth it IF they can give an enjoyable time plus a party tea. but I'd expect it to be quite labour intensive.

They are doing childrens parties, as they have the soft skills required.

Messenger3k

You need a long term plan I personally would hire or partner up with a sales / marketing professional to develop a strategy. You might be able to negotiate something commissioned based. Or I would get a business mentor. I wouldn’t play around if didn’t have deep pockets. Yes a business mentor would really help, find a retired person who has good comms skills and understand how teams work and the importance of leadership

gingerdad

This is what we do, It would be interesting to the kind of area, ie is there an option to market to tourists.

Schools / Scouts/Guides - send leaflets in about parties etc get them home via the book bags once the schools have re-opened.

Online etc has to be treated like any other broadcast media with the advantage you can targert it more closely.

We work with lots of tourist attractions to develop their audience and the cheapest most effective thing is to look at leaflet distribution into hotels etc.

edgex

BananaRepublic wrote: »

tinkerella had missed the point, promotions are often non profit or loss making. The idea is to get people to try the centre.

The point is that the centre offers facilities not available at full size rinks. The problem with ice hockey is that training sessions tend to be at 11 pm in the evening, and then you have 20-30 skaters and one coach, with many skill levels. You can go to this centre at 6 pm, for example, and have tuition in small groups or one on one.

The reason for promotions is to get people in so they can see that the product is good. Many people just turn up to ice hockey sessions. If you go to sessions at this centre, you learn/improve skills, and play better.

It’s like chocolate bars that say send in the wrapper and your money is refunded.Once people try the chocolate they discover how good it is, and buy it again.

Stating the bleeding obvious, but isn't ice hockey a team sport, & therefore the vast majority of training sessions are for the team by the team.
If team members then want additional training, wouldn't they arrange that with the existing coaches, & if they're not available, use those coaches to find people that are available.

Lets take your example of the training being at 11pm(!)
Well if an individual, or a small group, want an additional specialised session, won't they just have it at 10pm at the same venue?